Rik looked up at the full moon. "Do werewolves exist?"
"I doubt they're werewolves," Nadia said, "but that doesn't mean they aren't dangerous."
Markus maintained a firm grip on his sword. "Why would they be dangerous? There are wolves in the forest, and they usually stay away from people."
Nadia chewed on her lower lip. "But I doubt these are natural wolves. We have to be wary of anything that lives in these regions. I don't know how Warrick did it, but he must have created many monsters."
The howls sounded again, but farther away. Nadia remained alert, scanning the moonlit plain as the howls grew quieter, then disappeared entirely.
Markus sheathed his sword. "Guess we're safe now."
"For now," Nadia said. All thoughts of kissing Markus had fled.
They assigned watch shifts, but nothing else threatened them that night. In the morning, they resumed their westward trek. They'd lost the path they'd followed at first, so they had to use their compasses to keep their directions straight.
Even so, Nadia worried they wouldn't find the Oasis Outpost.
They passed a few more stone farmhouses, but without the imminent threat of storms, they decided not to disturb the people, who might be even stranger than those they'd already met.
That night, the chorus of howls rang out again. Would this happen every night? Would Nadia struggle to sleep the whole way across the plains?
Again, the wolves kept their distance. Nadia, Markus, and Rik faced their next storm the following afternoon. They hadn't spotted a single farmhouse all morning, nor any other structure to protect them from the elements. As the dark clouds gathered, Nadia's chest tightened.
"Well, we have rain cloaks," Rik said.
The clouds looked darker than any Nadia had ever seen. "I don't think they'll protect us."
"Nothing wrong with a little optimism," Rik said.
"I envy you that ability," Markus said.
So did Nadia. Her tendency to dwell on every negative had served her well, but she often wished she could take a more carefree attitude toward life.
The clouds grew closer and darker as they wrapped themselves in their rain cloaks. First, the winds came, gusting so strongly they had to crouch low to keep from getting blown over. The ground was remarkably flat here, and only a few trees dotted the plain.
"We need to stay low," Nadia shouted over the wind.
"I know," Markus said. "Lightning strikes the tallest object."
"Wouldn't that be a ridiculous way to die?" Rik said.
Soon the rain came, drenching them in seconds. The wind continued to whip around, sometimes blowing the rain shafts in circular patterns. This storm seemed ready to produce another tornado.
Huddled low to the ground, Nadia shivered. She could barely see the others, though they lay only a few feet away.
Hail pelted them—the size of peas at first, but then it grew perhaps as large as a small apple. She covered her head with her hands and let her rain cloak absorb most of the blows. Still, it hurt, and she would have bruises afterward. Over the roar of the storm, she could hear Markus and Rik grunting.
When the storm finally died down, Nadia crawled out from beneath her cloak. Shivering, chest tight, she looked up at the sky.
The tornado sat against the flat horizon west of them, but this was no ordinary tornado. She'd expected to see a small funnel. But, no, it looked as if a giant wall had descended from the clouds, as wide perhaps as a small city.
"What the hell is that?" Markus asked.
Rik looked pale. "I didn't think a tornado could get that big."
"Let's just pray it doesn't hit us," Nadia said, trying to judge the tornado's direction.
It sat directly west of them, moving a little north of east. At its size, though, there might not be enough room. "We need to run south as fast as we can," she said.
Cold and wet, they took off sprinting. The roar of the tornado grew louder and louder, a terrible rumble like nothing she'd ever heard before. The ground was slick, and she struggled to keep her footing. Nothing but the rumble filled her ears.
The wind whipped at them, nearly knocking them off their feet. Unable to run anymore, they crouched low and covered their heads. The ground itself seemed to vibrate.
They'd found a small depression where they might avoid getting hit by debris. Still, the tornado could easily pick them up. Nadia closed her eyes, listening to the terrible roar, and prayed. Terrible pressure built in her ears.
Chapter 41: The Hunters
Tylen stepped off the teleportation platform in the Golden Palace. Sam, his commander, had accompanied him, and Tylen was glad for the company. He had never met Emperor Warrick, and his stomach churned at the thought.
"You'll be fine, Tylen," Sam said. "The Imperial Guard seal can be very painful, but it's rare that a person dies."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Tylen asked. He didn't like to think about the Imperial Guard seal, about how Warrick could use his magic to make Tylen do whatever he wanted. Things like destroying an entire city.
Could Tylen put himself in a situation where he might do something like that?
But what choice did he have? Tylen wanted security more than anything, and becoming an Imperial Guard did provide security.
They walked the halls of the Golden Palace, past patrolling Imperial Guards, busy servants, and nobles from Imperia. Tylen marveled at the palace. Golden floors, walls, and pillars. Deep red carpets embellished with gold stitching. Doors of rich reddish wood.
At last, they came to the largest of these doors, the entrance to the throne room. Sam stepped to the side. "You'll be on your own from here, Tylen."
Tylen swallowed a lump in his throat. "Wish me luck."
He strode through the door and into the bright throne room beyond, following a wide banner of red carpet past magical torches and golden pillars. After rounding a bend, he caught his first glimpse of Warrick, and his heart climbed into his throat. How would the emperor receive him? Would he read Tylen's mind, see Tylen's doubts? Would he strike Tylen dead right there in front of the throne?
At last, Warrick said, "Good afternoon, Tylen. Come closer."
Heart pounding, Tylen obeyed.
"Kneel before me," Warrick said, and Tylen did so. He looked into the emperor's dark eyes, trying to imagine the thoughts running through the man's head. Surely he could see Tylen's reluctance to serve him. Tylen was trembling after all.
"There's no need to fear me so," Warrick said. "Yes, I require some healthy fear in those who serve me, but as long as you do nothing to displease me, I have no reason to harm you."
"Of course, Your Majesty," Tylen said quietly, his throat tight.
Warrick put a hand on Tylen's head, and Tylen closed his eyes, bracing for the pain of the Imperial Guard seal.
It began as a faint vibration, like waves rushing through him. Then the pain came, throbbing in a steady rhythm, burning like fire coursing through his veins. Sweat broke out on his skin, and he trembled violently, eyes closed against the torture. A sudden wave of cold washed over him, then an equally sudden wave of fire. He hovered on the verge of unconsciousness. Was Warrick trying to kill him?
Then the pain ceased. Tylen collapsed, trembling like never before. When he looked up, he saw a smile on Warrick's face. The emperor offered a hand, helping Tylen to his feet.
Tylen felt cold and vulnerable. "Is it over?"
"Yes. You handled it quite well. Many people pass out. Some even die."
Tylen struggled to stand on quivering legs. "I'm glad I survived, Your Majesty."
Warrick smiled. "I'm glad, too. I see great things in your future, Tylen. For now, you are an Imperial Guard. In time, though, you will become much, much more. But you shouldn't worry about that right now. Your new occupation will demand a great deal of you."
"I will do my best, Your Majesty."
Warrick smiled again. "I know you will, Tylen."
Seeing that smile, Tylen realized he
might have made the biggest mistake of his life.
* * * * *
Nadia felt as if the tornado would lift her from the ground. The wind roared and thundered, battering them fiercely as she continued praying.
Once the wind died down, she dared to move. The swirling vortex had moved beyond them, tearing up the countryside to their east. They'd been at the tornado's southern fringes, the only thing that had saved them. Heart pounding, she looked over to see Markus and Rik beneath their cloaks. Were they alive?
"Markus!" she shouted. "Rik!"
Markus's cloak muffled his voice. "Are we still alive?"
Nadia couldn't help but smile. "I don't know how, but we are."
Rik threw his sodden cloak to the side. "Well, that was the scariest thing I've ever experienced. Maybe adventures aren't always so much fun."
Nadia continued shivering as Markus and Rik got to their feet. The roar of the tornado was growing quieter. A quick check in every other direction revealed no additional tornadoes.
"Let's pray that's the last one we see," Markus said.
Rik chuckled, but it lacked his usual humor. "Amen."
The storm continued to rumble around them, and they shivered in the cool air. Nadia's legs trembled.
"Let's get going," she said. They'd lain over their leather sacks, so they hadn't lost their supplies. As they walked, Nadia's terror slowly faded.
They traveled through the afternoon, the storm fading into the distance. The sun came out behind it, and she prayed it wasn't fueling another storm. Prayer had saved them from the tornado. Maybe it could save them again.
What other protection did they have?
No storms threatened that day. When they settled down for the night, they ate from their dwindling rations. Thus far, the wildlife of the plains had proven hard to catch. Hopefully they'd be able to restock their stores at the Oasis Outpost. She tried to put the words of the strange man and woman out of her mind, remembering how they'd warned about the Oasis Outpost's distrust of outsiders. Surely they'd been exaggerating. Surely.
Through the night, more howls rang out. At every sound, even the smallest, Nadia tensed. She hadn't slept well since they'd started crossing the plains. In fact, she hadn't enjoyed a good night's sleep since leaving Crayden. She missed her soft bed and the comforts of home. The inferno still burned in her vision whenever she closed her eyes, haunting her nightmares.
She felt drowsy as they ate a small breakfast the next morning. Stale bread and dried, salted meat had grown old.
"How have you two been sleeping?" she asked. "I've been having nightmares."
Markus swallowed a mouthful. "Not so well. I know what you mean about the nightmares. I keep seeing that fire in Crayden, keep hearing all the screams."
"I'm glad to know it's not just me," she said, rubbing her eyes.
"Anyone would have nightmares after that." Rik said.
"And then there's those damn wolves," Markus said. "It's kinda hard to get any sleep when they keep howling. One of these times, they're gonna find us."
Rik shook his head. "Wonder how many close calls we can have."
Nadia wished she had an answer. Was God protecting them, or had they simply been lucky? Regardless, they couldn't count on anyone or anything but themselves.
That afternoon, more storms formed, but the storms remained north of them, and they didn't see any tornadoes. During the night, the bone-chilling howls sounded again, distant and growing more distant with time. Would that remain the case?
The days continued like this in a steady rhythm of walking, of aching feet. The longer they walked, the more they had to stop to rest. The late summer heat didn't help.
From time to time, they encountered a dwelling, but such finds became rarer and rarer. One evening, though, they came across something more than a single dwelling. An entire campsite stood just off their path, full of animal-skin tents.
And it was empty.
"I don't like this," Nadia said. "Why is no one here?"
Rik looked around the campsite. "Yeah, I know what you mean."
His mood had picked up a bit, but he didn't seem like the same Rik who'd set out on this quest. Their difficulties had hardened his personality. He joked less, complained more. She didn't care for this change. They needed Rik to lighten the mood.
They investigated the campsite, checking in each tent. Cooking pots and bedrolls remained. A few swords and bows lay around the area, but it looked as though there might have once been more. Had something attacked these people and forced them to flee?
"We should move on," Markus said. "Nothing to see here."
Nadia took one last look at the campsite. "I still don't like this, but you're right."
They left the mysteriously empty site behind, climbing up a gentle hill as the evening light faded. They walked for a while in the moonlight, relishing the air's sudden coolness, then chose to rest after a few hours. Nadia's feet and legs ached more than she thought possible. She wished they'd bought horses, but it would have been too dangerous for the animals.
Nadia took the second watch that night. Markus woke her, and she got back to her aching feet. If she sat down, she risked falling asleep. She paced the campsite, keeping alert for any shadowy movements or small sounds.
Howls rang out again, closer than she'd ever heard them. Heart pounding, she stared into the darkness. Something moved in the distance. The wolves. She tensed.
The howls grew louder, closer. The shadowy shapes prowled toward them, a pack of nine or ten.
She woke Markus and Rik. At first, they stirred groggily, but then they jumped to alert, their weapons at the ready. They stared into the dark night with wide eyes as the wolves prowled toward them. The pack didn't show any fear, moving steadily, howling now and again.
Then the wolves charged. Breathing deeply, she nocked an arrow on her bowstring and released. The lead wolf fell to her arrow, yowling, and she almost felt sorry for it. But then the rest of the pack charged even faster. Nadia took another deep breath, concentrating. It felt almost as though she could sense the beating of the wolves' hearts, as though she knew exactly where to aim. With remarkable calm, she let an arrow fly. Another wolf fell, yowling, but the others kept coming.
Eight on three. She didn't like those odds.
Heart pounding, she aimed again, but the wolves had moved too close now. Her next arrow went astray. Panicking, she shouldered her bow and unsheathed her sword. How were they going to fight so many wolves?
Had these creatures led to the abandonment of that campsite?
The wolves charged, and Nadia stood tall as one lunged at her. Again, she felt as though she could sense its heart. When it leapt toward her, she plunged her sword through its underside. The impact sent her to the ground and knocked the wind out of her, but her sword stuck in its chest. It whimpered and fell to the side.
Chaos had begun all around her. Dimly, she heard Markus and Rik screaming, registered the frantic scrabbling of paws all around. She reacted on instinct, thrusting her sword toward anything that got near her. The beasts' rank smell filled her nostrils. Again and again, she fell to the ground, scrambling to keep her weapon at the ready as wolves leapt atop her, as claws tore at her.
She felt hot, searing pain, heard shouts that sounded unfamiliar. Again and again, she plunged her sword through anything that came near. Sometimes she scored a hit. Sometimes she didn't. The wolves were too quick, too powerful. She turned frantically, looking for each attacking beast.
Sweat poured down her face. Through the chaos and din of the battle, she caught sight of shadows approaching. More people entered the battle. She had no idea who they were, but they fought well. The yelping and whimpering of wolves filled the air, accompanied by the grunting and shouting of these people.
At last, the battle ended. She lay on the ground, gasping for air. Beside her, Markus and Rik looked bruised and scratched, but otherwise all right.
She got to her feet, turning to meet the eyes of one of thei
r saviors. The man, tall and muscular with a thick beard, helped her to her feet.
"Thank you," she said. "Who are you?"
A group of eight stood behind the man, four men and four women. Some had suffered scratches, but they all stood strong, holding their swords ready. Bows were strapped to their backs. These had to be the people from the campsite.
"We call ourselves the Hunters," the man said. "We keep the plains safe for the rare traveler who ventures in these territories. This is where we live."
Nadia was trembling. "Why did you choose to live here?"
"It's easier to live apart from Warrick's rule, to feel like we have freedom." He smiled. "I'd imagine you have similar reasons for making this journey."
Rik limped over to them. "Well, thanks for saving us."
"It's what we do," the man said. "I'm Dave, the pack leader."
"Nice to meet you," Nadia said, shaking his callused hand. He led Nadia, Markus, and Rik over to the rest of the group, who all eyed them with curiosity. Markus, too, was limping, but it appeared none of them had suffered severe injuries.
Nadia thanked the rest of the group, some of whom had earned a few scratches. They didn't complain, though. This was duty to them.
She pointed to the east. "Do you have a campsite back that way?"
"Yes, we do," Dave said. "We haven't been there lately. We've been on a hunt. The wolves have grown in numbers lately, as they do when we don't kill them. Don't know how Warrick does it, but more wolves keep appearing out of nowhere."
"I'm guessing these aren't normal wolves," Markus said.
Dave nodded. "They are strange, unnatural creations."
"And you spend all your life hunting them?" Rik said.
"Them, and other things," Dave said. "Many animals roam the plains, but most of 'em are shy. Farther to the south, some people have herded cows. We often trade with them for meat. If we keep their livestock safe from the wolves, they provide us food for free."
Nadia shook her head in wonder. "I had no idea so many people lived on the plains."
"There are many like us," Dave said. "People who wish to live apart from the evils of Emperor Warrick. The plains aren't that dangerous. The worst of the storms occur toward the eastern side of the plains. Now we stand close to the desert. Is that your destination?"
World in Chains- The Complete Series Page 34